Hazel Josephine "Jo" Hurt, 100, formerly of Columbia City, passed away at 5:08 a.m. Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at Lutheran Life Villages, Fort Wayne.

Born June 12, 1925, in Henry County, Indiana, she was a daughter of the late Virgil and Lela (Estes) Todd.  Growing up in Henry County, she attended Chester Center Elementary school in Poneto, Indiana and then graduated from Jonesboro High School in 1944.

In 1944 she married her high school sweetheart Forest Lee Watson in Jonesboro, Indiana.  He died in World War II in July 1944.  In 1954, she married Atwell Derosset.

Jo worked as an office manager at Pure Sealed Dairy before her retirement in 1992 after 26 years.

She enjoyed sewing, fishing and bowling in her free time.

She was a member of the Nazarene Church in Columbia City.

Surviving are her granddaughters, Jessie Contreras of Plainfield and Sarah (Vince Milholland) Derosett and grandsons, Jay Johnson Jr., of Columbia City, Brent (Hollie Paseka) Klingaman of Columbia City and Jeffery Schutt of Geneva.

She was preceded in death by daughter, Priscilla Klingaman; son, Robert Derosset; brothers, Noah, Raymond and Tommy Todd; half-brothers, Wesley and Wallace Todd; half-sisters Portia and Grace; sisters, Pauline and Robertine Todd, Martha, Lizzie and Margie Todd, and Ruth Smith.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City.  Burial will be at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Fort Wayne.  Visitation will be from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday January 19, 2026 at the Funeral Home.